SARASOTA, Fla. - We have another 10 a.m. team stretch today. Same schedule as yesterday. The temperature is falling here and the forecast still includes rain. It's actually dipping into the 50s tonight and we'll have a low of 40 on Sunday. I don't expect a pity party, considering the snow that fell in the Baltimore area Wednesday, but it's still a shock to the system. We're in Florida, for crying out loud. I'd like to have the ability to measure how many miles manager Buck Showalter...

Attending youth baseball and softball openers for local teams has been a tradition since the Orioles arrived in Sarasota for 2010 Spring Training. On Saturday, February 16, the Oriole Bird will participate in Opening Day ceremonies for two little leagues, one in Sarasota and one in Venice, and two more youth baseball openings in March. The Oriole Bird will open the Sarasota Little League season with an appearance on Saturday morning from 9:00-10:00 a.m. at Twin Lakes Park at 6700 Clark Road in...

VIERA, Fla. - During his session with reporters earlier today, Bryce Harper was asked whether he felt moving to a spot in the middle of the batting order would be a normal progression for him. "I hope not. I like the two-spot," Harper replied, before adding that he'd gladly hit anywhere in the Nationals order as long as he remains in the lineup. Davey Johnson doesn't exactly buy that, largely because he says Harper has been telling him something else. While Harper might be keeping his...

VIERA, Fla. - As Wilson Ramos dropped into his crouch and prepared to receive the first pitch thrown by Zach Duke late this morning, Nationals pitching coach Steve McCatty hollered at the 25-year-old catcher from behind the pitcher's mound. "The Tin Man's back!" McCatty shouted, referencing the all-grey gear that Ramos sports behind the plate. It had been a while since Ramos had tossed on his gear and squatted behind the plate. The last time he did so was May 12, when he tore the ACL and...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The media's interest in today's bullpen sessions peaked with Kevin Gausman's spring debut. Gausman, the fourth overall pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, joined Mike Belfiore and Eduardo Rodriguez in Group 4. Minor league catcher Allan de San Miguel set the target. "It's all good," Gausman said. "First time in front of the coaches in front of the mound. They've seen me in Tampa when I was kind of in-season and after it. Nobody's expecting me to throw 95 today....

VIERA, Fla. - When Bryce Harper first walked into the Nationals clubhouse this morning, one thing was evident immediately. He's packed on a few pounds. I don't say that in a negative way. It's not like Harper was pounding Krispy Kremes all offseason and now has a gut. Far from it, in fact. He's a mountain of muscle now, with broad shoulders and a toned upper-body. Harper says he put on a good bit of muscle this offseason, bulking up to 230 lbs after being listed at 215 lbs. last season....

SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander Mark Hendrickson is adjusting to more than just a new arm slot in his delivery. He's also throwing a new pitch. Hendrickson is throwing a slider for the first time in his career. "To be honest, I'm a completely different pitcher than anybody's ever seen because I never threw the slider," Hendrickson said after today's bullpen session and workout. "I always threw the curveball. But down there, you can kind of mess with some grips and see how it comes out....

VIERA, Fla. - As I mentioned earlier, the Nationals have confirmed that closer Rafael Soriano's arrival at camp has been delayed by a visa issue. According to a source, because Soriano has a new employer, his previous visa, which was for five years, needs to be adjusted. While the Nats would obviously prefer to have Soriano in camp, it's still very early. Camp is extended this year because of the World Baseball Classic anyway, and it's not like Soriano hasn't been through this process...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Reliever Luis Ayala hasn't made a final decision on whether he will pitch for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. Ayala said he expects to inform the team Friday morning. The Orioles made the assumption that Ayala would leave camp to participate in the WBC, along with center fielder Adam Jones, reliever Pedro Strop, infielder Jonathan Schoop, and catchers Chris Robinson and Allan de San Miguel. The team would prefer that Ayala rest after pitching for Mexico in the...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The threat of rain hangs in the air, along with the dark clouds that remind us of it. Wei-Yin Chen, Jason Hammel and Chris Tillman will throw in Group 1 today; Miguel Gonzalez, Pedro Strop and Mark Hendrickson in Group 2; Daniel McCutchen, Troy Patton and Daniel Schlereth in Group 3; Mike Belfiore, Kevin Gausman and Eduardo Rodriguez in Group 4. Rodriguez, 19, is regarded as the third-best pitching prospect in the organization behind Dylan Bundy and Gausman. The left-hander...